Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.0 Source Code

Microsoft announced the availability of the source code for almost all of the components yesterday:

With this version of the product, we are including source code for almost all of the components under the Apache 2.0 license. This will allow you to debug through the full stack and make whatever specialized changes you need for your specific application. It also means that if you want to run .NET Micro Framework on a processor architecture that is not already supported, you don’t have to wait for Microsoft to build and release the porting kit built with the right tool chain – you can do that yourself.

Together with this release the started the Open Source step:

We want to make sure that people can adapt the product to their needs but at the same time, how do we make sure that there is a core implementation that continues to be sponsored by Microsoft and adheres to the original goals of a high quality platform for small embedded devices. We decided to develop what we are calling the Community Development Model. In this model, there will be a codebase that is shared by the Microsoft and external developers from which we will release versions just like any product team.

There will be a core technology team that is made up of both Microsoft and external participants who will be the gatekeepers of code that goes into the product. The Microsoft engineers will continue to focus on some of the things that only they can do – deep coordination with the rest of the .NET team and collaboration with other Microsoft product teams and some of the more elemental architectural changes. For external developers, we are throwing the door open for you to propose projects that you would like to take on. (I have some ideas already if you need some.) These will be evaluated by the core tech team which will also insure that the result meets the needed quality metrics.

We are developing a web site to manage this community interaction (http://www.netmf.com). The site will be up in about a week with the initial ideas of how we see this community working but like with any community endeavor, we expect that this process will change and refine with your input so please let us hear from you.

And the best thing for going towards production step:

It’s all still free. We announced the removal of the ‘per unit’ royalties from the runtime distribution licenses and the fees for the porting kit last Spring. We continue to follow that path. There will be no fees from Microsoft associated with the use of the platform.

Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.0 download available

Today Microsoft announced the availability of the first .NET Micro Framework release which came out since they moved to the Developer Division. The version has a number of neat features, have a look at the following list:

.NET Micro Framework 4.0 features:

• HTTP and HTTPs: An object model is now provided for handing both HTTP clients and servers, similar to the .NET Framework, with the new types System.Net.HttpWebRequest, System.Net.HttpWebResponse, and System.Net.HttpListener from assembly System.Http.dll
• Multi-touch: Basic support for multi-touch events, such as moving two fingers on a touch screen, is now provided in the object model and the emulator. Gesture support has been redesigned to be faster and more flexible.
• Versioning: Versioning has been implemented to strictly identify assemblies by the version number at build time and on the device, and eventually re-deploying missing assemblies. Side-by-side load and bind for types belonging to the same assemblies with a different version number is supported. Support has also been added for assembly naming which includes the version number.
• Emulator support for SSL and HTTPS: The emulator now explicitly supports SSL and HTTPs emulation.
• Native XML Parser: The XML parser has been moved to native code for better performance.
• Native collections: The collection classes have been moved to native code for performance, and have been enriched with Queue and Stack types.
• Time sync: Devices can use the new Time Sync API to sync the system time with a specified server's time, automatically or manually.
• Arbitrary display size: A custom heap and allocation area is now provided to support bitmaps larger than 760KB.
• Large buffers: A new type, Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.LargeBuffer, is provided for allocating buffers larger than 760KB, which would not fit in the managed heap.  This type is located in assembly Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.
• Watchdog and Power Level control: The power level and the watchdog behavior can now be controlled from the managed application using types Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.PowerState and Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.Watchdog from assembly Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.dll.
• Thick pens and gradient fills: A richer graphic model is now provided for designing widgets and controls.
• TinyCore performance improvements: TinyCore performance has been enhanced in the area of event dispatching and layout.

The download is separated in several download packages (compared with older versions of the SDK). Here you can find the list of available downloads of .NET Micro Framework 4.0:

• .NET Micro Framework 4.0 SDK: This is the Version 4.0 release of the .NET Micro Framework SDK for developing managed applications on small devices.
• .NET Micro Framework 4.0 CRYPTO: The .NET Micro Framework Crypto Companion Libraries add cryptographic functionality to the .NET Micro Framework Porting Kit
• NET Micro Framework 4.0 Porting Kit: The .NET Micro Framework Porting Kit allows you to adapt the Version 4.0 runtime to your specific hardware in the supported toolchains
• NETMF4 NET ARM, NETMF4 NET THUMB2, NETMF4 NET THUMB: The .NET Micro Framework TCP/IP and SSL Libraries add networking functionality to the .NET Micro Framework Porting Kit

Hey, this is a great start in the new week, isn’t it?

New .NET MF Development Kit available – Analog Devices BF518F FMC

Avnet Electronics Marketing has designed and offers a new .NET Micro Framework development kit with great features. The board is using an Analog Devices BF518F low-power Blackfin processor, has plenty of memory, 10/100 Ethernet with IEEE 1588 V2 support, UART, USB, Avnet TFT LCD, and more.

One of the most unique things about the board is the integration of FPGA through the FPGA Mezzanine board.  This supports robust signal processing applications in the target markets of Industrial Automation, Smart Energy Management, Network-enabled Instrumentation, and Test and Measurement equipment.

Have a look at the key features:

Operates as a standalone, or as a VITA 57 FMC Mezzanine Module

Microsoft .NET Micro Framework ported by Adeneo Embedded

400 MHz ADSP-BF518F Blackfin processor

64 MB Micron PC-133 SDRAM

4 MB Numonyx parallel NOR Flash

4 Mb SPI Flash (internal to CPU)

Flexible booting options

10/100 Ethernet with IEEE 1588 support

SD/MMC card slot

One RS-232 port (DB-9F)

One USB 2.0 mini-AB port

Supports external TFT-LCD conforming to Avnet LCD Interface (ALI) specification

Optional add-on debug agent

The development kit includes everything you need to start with a real hardware device. And yes, it comes with the .NET Micro Framework 4.0 (which is currently in beta).

Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.0 (Beta Refresh)

There is a new 10/12/09 refresh of the Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.0 beta SDK available.

What’s new?

• Improvements to debugging over TCP/IP
• Moved entire DPWS stack to native XML
• Removed dependency from ATL when rebuilding the emulator and runtime  in the PK (this allows using VS Express for the purpose)
• Improvements for MDK3.80a support

Known issues

• Full GCC thumb build does not work with the TCP/IP stack on some platforms.
• Projects and solutions needs to be updated to v4.0: there is no automatic way to do it, but generally a Find&Replace of “v3.0” to “v4.0” should do the job for the managed projects, while instead the native solutions of the PK are virtually identical, although some drivers and CLR libraries might have been removed or changed name.

Please submit any feedback through Microsoft Connect!

GHI E-Book: Beginners Guide to C# and the Microsoft .NET Micro Framework

Gus is working on a book for their customers and the .NET MF community:

This is an in-progress book we are making for our customers and the NETMF community. We hope you like it and find it useful. We are open to suggestions and comments.

Keep this in mind when using the book:

1. It is incomplete, full of typos and may have false info
2. The book points out a new device called FEZ. This is not available and we do not have any public info, so please do not ask
3. The book will be updated frequently until it is complete so come back and check the top of this post for the release number.

Following topics you will find in the E-Book : Introduction, To port or not to port!, Selecting a Device, Getting Started, C# Level 1-3, Digital Input & Output, Pulse Width Modulation, Glitch Filter, Analog Input & Output, Garbage Collector, Interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, One Wire, CAN), Resources, Displays, Time, USB Host, File System, Networking, Expanding I/Os, Wireless (ZigBee, Bluetooth, Nordic, WiFi 802.11), Thinking Small, Graduation Projects (MP3 Player, Smart Alarm Clock, GPS Data Logger)

The book is not yet finished, but you can get it for free on this post.

Don’t forget to get a copy of the second edition of Expert .NET Micro Framework (Jens Kühner) which updates the significant changes of .NET Micro Framework version 3.0.

Wireless LAN (WiFi) now available on ChipworkX and Embedded Master

Long time ago I was searching for a WiFi module that could be used on .NET Micro Framework devices. Well, Digi announced that their Digi Connect Wi-series will be available for .NET MF, too, but until today I didn’t get any feedback if this is true.

Some weeks ago GHI announced that they offer a .NET Micro Framework module to run WiFi 802.11 wireless networks on their .NET MF devices.

GHI proudly announces the first .NET Micro Framework 3.0 hardware to run WiFi 802.11 wireless networks on ChipworkX and Embedded Master.

This new feature supports WEP, WPA, WPA2 secure networks through hardware AES and RS4 cyphers.

The wireless 802.11 hardware module is FCC, IC and WiFi certified and costs only about $30 in low quantities which makes it ideal for .NET Micro Framework devices.

Wow, that really looks great to me and I have to order one to play around with WiFi on .NET MF.

Embedded Master and ChipworkX with Power over Ethernet

Gus Issa posted on his blog about power over ethernet support for their .NET Micro Framework devices Embedded Master and ChipworkX:

In Some applications, a networked device can be placed at a distance connected to an Ethernet cable. It would be really beneficial if the Ethernet cable can be used for data and for power. You actually can do that. This is called "Power over Ethernet", PoE for short.

A .NET Micro Framework device like Embedded Master and ChipworkX can easily be power and networked using the same cable.

Great to see how easy it is to set-up power over ethernet.

Rich Media Extensions for the .NET Micro Framework

Jens Kühner has created a Rich Media Extension library with a set of complete WPF elements and controls for the .NET Micro Framework. All elements are based on existing UIElement class.

What are the Benefits for the developer?

• By providing cool and modern themes out-of-the-box, an embedded developer needs not to care about art design and skinning. Custom themes for corporate branding are also possible.
• The controls are usable via buttons and/or a touch-display. When using a touch display, controls are usable without the need of a Stylus, but with your fingers.
• Faster time to market and reduced development costs because of a complete set of ready-to-use elements.
• Transfer your existing WPF knowledge from the PC and Web to small embedded devices.
• A further benefit is the underlying .NET Micro Framework with all its advantages.

Have a look at his introducing video on YouTube.

Hanselminutes on 9 - The .NET Micro Framework with Colin Miller

Scott Hanselman talked to Colin Miller about the .NET Micro Framework:

Check out the Video at Channel 9, it's short, sweet and to the point and Colin covers a lot of ground. It's also the first video that I filmed and posted in 16:9 720p without changing the aspect ratio, so let me know if you like the video quality.

.NET MF moves to Developer Division

Colin wrote an official statement on the team blog because of the blog rumors in the last hours. .NET MF moves to Developer Division, there are changes taking place on the team but they are all for the good:

“First, the product is moving into the Developer Division (Server and Tools).  This is a great fit for the technology and we are really looking forward to it.  The move means that we will be fully aligned with the rest of the .NET groups and tools in building the uniform programming model from the sensors to servers.

The announcement that we are moving to some form of community direction and development including code access is accurate.  We will investigate how to do that in the near term so stay tuned.  For now however, the current products are available and continue to be supported as before.

I am really excited about the potential of really accelerating the changes in the industry that we see coming.  I hope that you are as excited as I am.  Please let me know if you have any questions.”

Perfect, everything seems to be ok back!! Ok, now I go back working on my new .NET MF project…